Leaving Cert students have received record grades this year.
More than 60,000 received their results online this morning.
The new calculated grading system, introduced due to Covid-19, shows an increase of 4.4% on average across all subjects.
The Department of Education says today's results are "stronger" than a normal year - but that the grades estimated by teachers were higher again before the calculated grades system brought them down.
16.9% of grades have been cut back.
H1 grades of 90% and above are up 3.3% at Higher Level and 1.7% at Ordinary Level.
There's been a 3% rise in H1 grades in Higher-Level Irish, or over 800 more students picking up top marks compared with last year.
In English, the increase was 1.3%, or nearly six hundred more, and in Maths there was a 2% rise at higher level.
In Maths and Irish, the numbers graded at Foundation level has roughly halved.
In Art, Economics, Accounting, Business, Home Ec, the share of H1s at higher level has at least doubled -- while in Music, they rose from 4.3% to 13.
Many Ministers and TDs have paid tribute to this year's students:
#Classof2020, no words can do justice to your year. A global pandemic & no traditional exam. Virtual graduation, cancelled debs, final months of school spent at home. Whatever your grades, you have shown resilience that would put many of us to shame! The best is ahead. Go for it!
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) September 6, 2020
Good luck #LeavingCert #Classof2020 🧲🍀
2020 was a year in one hundred.
Your story is of patience, resilience and making your voices heard.
There’ll be knocks along the way, but you will get there.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, the world is your oyster!#leavingcertresults— Thomas Byrne (@ThomasByrneTD) September 6, 2020
And Jedward of course!
Class of 2020 You’re all legends and accepted on PlanetJedward #LeavingCert2020 🙌🏼
— JEDWARD (@planetjedward) September 6, 2020
